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I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

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Re: I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

#21

Post by untog »

sliverstorm wrote: post #14
uvdiv wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A competing theory is that he is actually spying for the PRC. Hong Kong would be an obvious choice for a wealthy, Western spy seeking Chinese protection. They're semi-autonomous, but military affairs are run by the PRC, and in particular the PRC has control over foreign extradition: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-h... If this wasn't a priori the best theory, surely the HK part adds some Ba…

Do you have more information about this theory? The discussion has been so one-sided, I feel obligated to seek other interpretations.

I don't think there is any more information about it because circumstantial evidence is the only connection.

Not to say that it isn't true, but at this point a whole wide range of things could be.

Re: I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

#22

Post by tlrobinson »

malandrew wrote: post #10
lawnchair_larry wrote: post #6

Birgitta Jonsdottir, member of parliament in Iceland and the woman extending this offer (edit: she doesn't have authority to offer asylum, so reaching out to offer assistance is more accurate), was previously the subject of these secret orders, which were served on all of the major tech companies. The only reason she knows is because Twitter actually challenged the gag order and managed to get it unsealed (MAJOR resp…

Who were the other four people named?

Julian Assange, Bradley Manning, Birgitta Jonsdottir, Jacob Appelbaum and Rop Gonggrijp.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikileaks-related_Twitter_subpo...

Re: I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

#23

Post by jckt »

untog wrote: post #8

Slightly off-topic question, but why did he not just go to Iceland in the first place? Hong Kong does not seem like the best destination here.

It says here that he was on leave from his NSA job for treatment for his epilepsy (well, that's what he told the NSA). It's been known that medical tourism is somewhat big in Hong Kong (though mostly for other Asians, particularly mainland Chinese). In this respect, going to Iceland would've raised a few NSA eyebrows, and in light of this I think HK was a good choice (of course, I'm sure there are other, better, choices).

Re: I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

#24

Post by a3n »

ck2 wrote: post #12

The problem is people always screw up and a decade later they think it's okay to visit the US for a conference or something and don't realize they will never see the light of day again once they step into that airport. Or some country wants a political favor from the current US president so they turn him over. Very brave dude but his life is just about as over as Bradley Manning.

More likely, he could be flying somewhere and the plane either enters US airspace, or has to make an emergency (real or not) landing in the US.

Re: I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

#25

Post by sliverstorm »

untog wrote: post #21
sliverstorm wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have more information about this theory? The discussion has been so one-sided, I feel obligated to seek other interpretations.

I don't think there is any more information about it because circumstantial evidence is the only connection. Not to say that it isn't true, but at this point a whole wide range of things could be.

I just mean more discussion.

Re: I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

#28

Post by beggi »

FYI: Birgitta is in a minority opposition party (The Icelandic pirate party) with 3 representatives out of 63. Given the ruling government's track record, both regarding refugees seeking asylum as well as a strong will to have good relations with the U.S., I find it highly unlikely he will be given asylum in Iceland. Now, Bobby Fischer was given an asylum in Iceland in 2006 in a unanimous parliament vote - but that was without great objections from the U.S. This is (obviously) a completely different thing.

Re: I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

#29

Post by conroe64 »

jckt wrote: post #23
untog wrote: post #8

Slightly off-topic question, but why did he not just go to Iceland in the first place? Hong Kong does not seem like the best destination here.

It says here that he was on leave from his NSA job for treatment for his epilepsy (well, that's what he told the NSA). It's been known that medical tourism is somewhat big in Hong Kong (though mostly for other Asians, particularly mainland Chinese). In this respect, going to Iceland would've raised a few NSA eyebrows, and in light of this I think HK was a good choice (of course, I'm sure there are other, better, choi…

I still would question why he didn't then hop on a flight from Hong Kong to Iceland before he let the cat out of the bag.

Edit: Maybe he left Hong Kong after the interview but before they published it?

Re: I'm Ready To Help NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Seek Asylum

#30

Post by jckt »

conroe64 wrote: post #29
jckt wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It says here that he was on leave from his NSA job for treatment for his epilepsy (well, that's what he told the NSA). It's been known that medical tourism is somewhat big in Hong Kong (though mostly for other Asians, particularly mainland Chinese). In this respect, going to Iceland would've raised a few NSA eyebrows, and in light of this I think HK was a good choice (of course, I'm sure there are other, better, choi…

I still would question why he didn't then hop on a flight from Hong Kong to Iceland before he let the cat out of the bag. Edit: Maybe he left Hong Kong after the interview but before they published it?

Check out beggi's post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5852564

Iceland cannot make guarantees either. Also, I suspect that booking a flight would raise a lot of suspicion. Spies spy on spies -- people like Snowden are just as likely, if not more likely, to be watched, than your typical civilian.

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